"What 50 Shades has done is to move erotic fiction from the back of the book store to the front and suddenly everyone wants a piece.

"Attitudes have changed and rightly so because why shouldn't people be able to spice up their sex lives.

"There are a lot of quite surprising potential partnerships we're negotiating at the moment - companies who would never have thought of getting involved with Ann Summers before - four of which, excitingly, are very close to fruition."

The chain claimed that as sales had declined for the high street as a whole on last year, its own sales had grown 78%.

Sales of products featured in 50 Shades Of Grey had soared, the company said, with items such as blindfolds and handcuffs currently up 60% and 30% respectively.